Site plan still being modified

The Zoning Board of Appeals gathered Wednesday night hoping to discuss the engineering component of the Sharon Commons Lifestyle Center, which would have been phase two in the development process.

Emily Bosak/Correspondent

The Zoning Board of Appeals gathered Wednesday night hoping to discuss the engineering component of the Sharon Commons Lifestyle Center, which would have been phase two in the development process. Instead, conversation revolved around the adjustments that had been made to phase one since the last meeting.
Tom Houston, a PSC representative responsible for conducting a peer-review of the site, explained to the ZBA that their focus on the engineering aspect of phase two was re-directed upon new information on building shifts and other changes in the site plan.
“A shift of a building by 50 or 100 feet may not be significant in terms of a master plan,” Houston said. “But it is very significant because utilities are very site specific. If you have to shift the location of a storm charger, etc., it really makes a difference even if that’s only a few feet in a different location.”
For this reason, Houston announced their decision to delay further evaluation of the engineering component pending the boards review and approval of the new revisions.
One of the most noticeable changes in the site plan is the move of anchor store number three up near anchor store number two. This move increases the space and natural buffer along Old Post Road and the corner of South Walpole Street where anchor store number two originally sat.
The second change was that the building position of anchor store number two was rotated so that the front of the store is now facing Interstate 95. Anchor store number one was also rotated 90 degrees so that the entrance to the building is now in clear view of customers entering on the main road.
Among the discussion of the new revisions also came the anticipated announcement of the likely retail tenant for anchor store number two.
Attorney Richard Rudman publicized the signing of a non-binding letter of intent with Target for a 135,000 square foot store. Currently, they are focused on completing the site plan and architectural plans for the store to be approved by the ZBA by mid November before they can move forward.
“This is an extremely difficult leasing market and financial market for reasons that [the board] are all well aware of,” Rudman explained. “We feel very lucky to be one of a small number of locations where a very solid, credit-worthy anchor tenant that is going to be willing to move forward with us. We don’t want to do anything to jeopardize that.”
Trent Luger, the developmental manager for Target, shared his primary goal of the potential event of being the new retail tenant for anchor store number two.
“My job is primarily to work with the community and the developer to entitle the project of the shopping center and really create a first-class development in Sharon,” he said. “We want a very safe, pleasant shopping experience for our guests.”
The construction of Target will provide more than just another outlet for shopping. The store would generate between 150 to 250 new jobs.
“Community giving is really at the heart of what Target is about,” Luger said. “We are the only retailer to give back 5 percent of our taxable income to the communities.”
When asked about whether or not the Target would have a supermarket component to it, Rudman replied that they are already in discussion with a grocer for anchor store number one.
Despite all of the excitement generated from the discussion about Target, there were still a few concerns to be addressed on the new revisions for the site plan.
One board member pointed out that although the revisions in phase two were a big improvement, there was still a questionable design flaw that remained with anchor store number three. The rotation of anchor store number two and the move of anchor store anchor number three leaves the parking lot behind both stores somewhat isolated, raising safety concerns for both future employees and customers.
Another observation the ZBA made was that the move of anchor store number three up next to anchor store number two could possibly decrease the “strolling potential” because it is now segregated from the line of stores it was originally in line with.
In closing statements, Chairman John Lee once again reminded the developers of Sharon Commons on the initial expectations that the town of Sharon holds for the building of the Lifestyle Center.
“The people in town did not approve a mall. This is specifically a lifestyle mall,” Lee said. “We are glad this is moving forward but we want to make sure that it moves forward as a lifestyle mall which is what the people in town were told that they were going to get.”
The developers of the Sharon Commons took the ZBA’s observations in stride. A mutual agreement was reached that the discussion of engineering plans along with any further approval of new modifications would be made at the next ZBA meeting.

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